Putin and Hungarian PM Orban to discuss gas supplies at talks in Moscow

Russia’s President Vladimir Putin is to meet with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban on Tuesday. Orban will be in Moscow on a working visit.

According to the Kremlin’s press service, the two leaders will discuss "key aspects of further development of the Russian-Hungarian cooperation, as well as relevant international issues."

Also, as Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said, they will discuss issues related to energy sector and gas supplies. He noted that the bilateral agreement on gas supplies expires at the end of 2019 and Hungary is interested to agree with Gazprom on the terms of the 2020 agreement in the near future.

The Minister noted that Hungary has several ideas for expanding cooperation between the two countries, adding that these ideas will be voiced on Tuesday at the meeting of Orban and Putin. Szijjarto recalled that the Russian-Hungarian consortium won a tender for the supply of more than 1,300 wagons of Russian-Hungarian production to Egypt. The Foreign Minister expressed hope that conditions will be created for further cooperation within the framework of this consortium.

Szijjarto said that next year Budapest expects its trade with Russia to double from $ 5.5 bln now to $10 bln.